Gamma Phi Beta - Southern Methodist University

2 | Crescent Corner Alumnae News THE IMPACT OF A SUPPORTIVE SISTERHOOD Ashley Mason '96 Shares Her Alpha Xi Experience hen Ashley Mason '96 went through recruitment at SMU, she was intimidated by the university's competitive sorority environment until she stepped into the Alpha Xi chapter house. She quickly felt comfortable at Gamma Phi Beta, where the members were genuine and made her feel at home. As an undergraduate, Ashley served as membership chairman and said, "It was the toughest job I've ever had! People laugh when I say that, but leadership roles in sororities mean that you're leading your dearest friends, who are your sisters, around a common goal. You want to do a great job so everyone can be proud of the outcome." Ashley received a bachelor of business administration in organizational behavior from SMU's Cox School of Business in 1999. She has used her educational background for more than 15 years as a vice president at Holmes Murphy, where she is as an employee benefits broker and consultant for employers. Ashley said with rising healthcare costs, employers are struggling to be able to offer competitive benefit packages to their employees. Ashley has been able to leverage her experience as membership chairman during her professional career. "The experience I had at Gamma Phi has helped me appreciate how important it is to build relationships with the people you work with because it makes it so much easier to accomplish things when you're all supporting one another. Going at it alone is never fun," Ashley stated. She also believes when you embrace your strengths, then you and everyone around you can be more successful. As an alumna, Ashley encourages others to reconnect with sisters. "Call/text/Facebook the person you were closest to at Gamma Phi TODAY! Tell her you're thinking of her," Ashley said. She stays in contact with a number of pledge sisters and even travels to Florida every spring to catch up and reconnect. Ashley is thankful for the lifelong friendships and the opportunities that were awarded to her during her Gamma Phi Beta undergraduate experience. "When you receive a message out of the blue from your sister, it is like a breath of fresh air," Ashley stated. Ashley lives in Dallas, Texas, where she spends time with her boyfriend, Tim, who is a master fisherman and has been teaching her how to fly fish during the last couple of years. If you would like to reconnect with Ashley, you can reach her at alynnemason@yahoo.com. ver the past 10 years, Gamma Phi Beta international headquarters has increased support of Alpha Xi in an effort to improve the chapter's positioning on the SMU campus. This included a dedicated staff person who directly worked with the chapter on leadership skills, public relations and sisterhood, and a special recruitment consultant (SRC) who assisted the chapter's recruitment advisor and membership vice president with recruitment. We have also had on-going discussions with SMU fraternity and sorority life officials to improve the campus climate for all sororities on campus. In addition to its SRC, the chapter has a dedicated regional coordinator, Kayleigh Campbell, Texas A&M University '07, whose sole volunteer job is working with Alpha Xi officers and advisors to ensure the chapter continuously improves its leadership, scholarship, sisterhood, and public relations. After graduating from Texas A&M in 2011, Kayleigh traveled as a collegiate leadership consultant, visiting 43 of our collegiate chapters. After her year on the road, Kayleigh joined Teach for America in Kansas City, MO, where she taught seventh grade math and then moved back to Houston to work in admissions at Houston Baptist University. She then transitioned to Columbia, SC, in 2015 to pursue her masters of education in higher education and student affairs. She has worked at the University of South Carolina in the Student Government office and with their fraternity and sorority life. Kayleigh has volunteered for Gamma Phi Beta since 2012 in numerous roles, including chapter advisor, special recruitment consultant, and now as an SRC. The Alpha Xi Chapter also welcomed new chapter advisor, Valerie Hall, University of Oklahoma '07. After graduation, she traveled for Gamma Phi Beta and assisted with the start of the Cincinnati and Connecticut chapters. Valerie attended Iowa State, where she received her master's in higher education. Alpha Xi Welcomes New Leadership Kayleigh Campbell, Texas A&M University '07 Valerie Hall, University of Oklahoma '07 Please let us know what is happening in your life by sending an update to gpbhouse.smu@gmail.com. Carol Ceirco '50 has enjoyed a variety of job experiences in her years since graduating from SMU. She taught and directed theater in Houston, TX, and Pasadena, CA, then moved on to work with American Express and Ameriprise until she retired. Carol was able to move into the Gamma Phi house the first year it opened. She lives in Monrovia, CA. E-mail: carolnmnc.1@gmail.com Sarah Mims Riley '51 sang with the Dallas Civic Chorus for 21 years after earning her vocal performance degree from SMU in 1952. She went on to teach music for 18 years in Dallas, then taught Language Arts until she retired in 1997. Sarah lives in Dallas, TX. Barbara Kaelin Bailey '55 volunteers two mornings a week at Barchfield Elementary, where she lives in Colusa, CA. Barbara enjoys playing bridge and watching her grandchildren play sports and show cattle. (Continued on page 4)

• Cover